Surgery: Hysteroscopy

So, here are the pictures that I was handed moments after my surgery wrapped up.  Yes, I was all sorts of woozy from the anesthesia, but even so, I could see a difference had been made! The top left corner is way different from the bottom right corner. Finally! My uterus was lookin good (for a uterus)!

These pics, although informative, are super graphic. Sorry!

Post-Op Appt (Post Septum Removal)

So, the post-op appointment today went well. Doc did an ultrasound and confirmed that yes, my uterus has been successfully cleared of a septum that seemed to go on and on for days.  It was huge and now it's bare.  All that is left is a tiny heart shaped cleft...which is fine. Doc said most women have this. Phew.

As for everything else, I'm good to very good. The only thing that seems a tad on the high side is my FSH levels which are at a 9.  Hopefully it's just some freak reading from with my Day 3 bloodwork because it does seem insanely high for my age, but regardless...they told me not to worry. So I shan't.  I can just keep it in the back of my mind. Now...

WHAT COMES NEXT?!

After the past 12 months of annoyingness (aka: peeing in cups, peeing on sticks, taking my temperature, charting, downing vinegar and pineapple, etc) yielding nothingness I know that I will not be trying naturally for a while. Yes my septum could have decreased blood flow and made it harder to get pregnant all that time, but I still could have. Yet I didn't.  At the end of the day, I am still an infertile mertile so let's just get 'er done already. Or as my high school cheerleading squad would squawk:  Let's "Be aggressive. B-E Aggressive!" (B-E  A-G-G-R-E-S...ok, ok).  These are my choices:

IUI

IVF

IUI has multiple options attached to it. 

Natural

w/oral meds (clomid, etc)

w/injectibles 

Hmmm...

This is a tough choice.  I wanted to go with IUI for sure before this appointment. It would take up less insurance money and I figured that an IUI with injectibles would give me a great shot.  Plus, Doc semi-confirmed that as far as IUI's go, this would be my best shot. According to her, there was no need to take Clomid as I'd never missed an ovulation.  

However, nothing is ever that simple with me.  Apparently I have a ton of follicles.  This is a problem only because of the injectibles.  They could make me create loads of eggs and follicles and if that happens,  they won't proceed with the IUI to avoid an Octo-Mom outcome. Crikey.  I hate the thought of any month being cancelled.

During this conversation, Doc explained just how the whole process with injectibles works...she even showed me the shot-gun (bang) that I'd have to use.  In a nut shell, it ain't easy.  It's tons of work. Lots of shots. Lots of doctor visits. And not that high of a success rate.  Other than the hormone meds being lower than IVF and no egg retrieval, it sounded just as intense as a round of IVF.

Now, do I go with the plan that has a higher success rate and lower rate of being cancelled?  BUT is slightly more invasive and way more costly? That's the question I'm dealing with.  If I have a ton of follicles and may have to cancel a medicated IUI round, I'll be pissed at wasting time.  After doing this jig for a year, I can't just sit a month out of the game.  Mentally, I just can't.

It seems clear after writing this, to move on with IVF but I'm still not convinced. So many hormones. Ugh.  Fortunately (or unfortunately) I did find out in this meeting that the 10 days of birth control I was on for my surgery restarted my clock.  This means that I can't move forward with a medicated IUI or IVF this month anyway, so I guess I have some time to think about it.  

Hopefully everything becomes a little clearer in the next day or so. 

til then...

L

Not a T shape.

So, as luck (and I do mean that) would have it, I am not a T-shaper.  Nope.  What I was...was misdiagnosed.  Doctors apparently do that from time to time.  However, my alleged "T-shaped" uterus was in fact not shaped like a T at all. Not even a little bit.  Upon switching infertility clinics, switching doctors and having every new doctor and their mother up in my business for days and days on end, a 3D ultrasound revealed "a very large septum." Whaaaaaat?!

Dare I say...yay?

For next time, the answer is "No" (unless in my head). Because upon saying that I was "actually really excited to hear that" my new and emotionally ridiculous doctor went on to stare in disbelief and say, "I wouldn't say it's exciting to have a septum"

Thanks dummy.

I mean, I know I'm still infertile. I know my uterus is crazy-pants and wants to be all sorts of things other than a baby-carrying uterus.  I knooooow.  However, I'm excited.  Double-however, this particular dummy is actually a very smart man in the medical field who also just gave me the most exciting news of my infertile life, so upon ushering me out of his office, I did not shout, "I AM EXCITED, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" at the top of my lungs. I did not.

Instead, I made an appointment for my first surgery ever and GOT PUMPED!  After 12 months of zero double-lineness and a sorta awful doctor originally telling me that my uterus was trying to emulate the first letter of my last name, I was (and am currently) really really excited to be able to do something about my state of no-babyness.  Sure, surgery sounds awful, but it's better than peeing on sticks and crying all day. Right?

Right!

Well, surgery was last Wednesday and I am officially in the 'healing' phase...which is extremely easy and really just involves wearing lots of hugely uncomfortable diaper pads to soak up the large quantities of guts pouring out of me every minute.  Just joking! Kind of.

The doctor performing said surgery seems to think that everything went really well, as he was able to clear out all the way to the right and left fallopian tubes. They were also able to take some insanely clear pictures in there, so I will update the blog later with them. 

My post-op appointment is next Monday, the 30th. Yay!!!